Diana Khramina is the Product Marketing lead at Gorgias, a series C startup with 400+ employees, and previously a McKinsey consultant.
B2B SaaS is a battlefield. Every company is vying for attention, claiming to be the ultimate solution that cuts costs, drives revenue and fits seamlessly into any workflow. But too often, these claims are buried in dense, technical jargon that leaves customers more confused than convinced.
This can result in buyers becoming overwhelmed and struggling to make choices because they don’t know how a product’s features translate into real business impact, or it’s unclear what a product actually does—and what it doesn’t.
For B2B SaaS marketers, the challenge is real: How do you make your company stand out, ensure your product is instantly understood and catch the attention of your ideal customers?
A sharp, compelling positioning strategy—one that makes it crystal clear why your product is the right fit for the right audience.
What Is Positioning & Why Does It Matter?
Positioning is how your product carves out its unique value for a well-defined audience. It’s the backbone of great marketing, sales and even product development. Without strong positioning, even the best product can get lost in the noise.
Strong positioning boils down to three things: What? Why? Who? Make sure it’s clear exactly what your product does, the value it delivers and the audience it serves.
Why does this matter? Because weak positioning leads to weak marketing and sales. If customers don’t “get it,” no amount of advertising, content or sales effort will fix that. Positioning is the foundation—get it wrong, and everything else crumbles.
Industry Positioning Methodologies
There are two well-known methodologies for positioning, each with a distinct approach. Let’s break them down:
1. April Dunford’s Positioning Framework
Dunford’s methodology aims to define why your product is the best choice for the right audience.
Key elements:
• Competitive alternatives—What would customers do if your product didn’t exist?
• Key differentiators—What makes your product unique?
• Value derived from differentiators—How do these differences benefit customers?
• Customer segmentation—Who benefits most from your product?
• Market category—How should customers think about your product?
This framework is best suited for companies needing to clarify their differentiation in a competitive space.
2. Andy Raskin’s Strategic Narrative
Raskin’s approach is all about aligning your company around a compelling, high-stakes story.
Key elements:
• A shifting world—The industry is changing in a fundamental way.
• A high-stakes problem—Businesses must adapt or risk falling behind.
• A promised land—The better future your product helps customers reach.
• A hero’s journey—How customers succeed with your solution.
• Proof—Why your company is the best guide for this transformation.
This method works best for companies aiming to position themselves as industry leaders shaping the future.
When Should A Company Rethink Its Positioning?
Positioning isn’t just for startups. Certain events should signal that it’s time for a positioning refresh. If any of these situations sound familiar, it might be time to rethink your strategy.
If customers don’t “get” your value, or struggle to articulate why they use your product, something is off. If your product offering has expanded, you need a unified narrative. If you’ve pivoted, this requires a positioning reset. If commoditization is creeping in, competitors are starting to look and sound the same, differentiation is key. If competition is heating up, a strong position helps you stand out beyond just features and price.
Positioning Vs. Messaging Vs. Branding Vs. Strategic Narrative
These concepts are related, but they serve different purposes. Positioning defines where you fit in the market and why your product is the best choice for a specific audience. Messaging translates positioning into the specific words and phrases used in marketing and sales. Branding shapes how your company is perceived emotionally and visually (logo, design, tone and voice). Strategic narrative is the big-picture story about why your company exists and the industry transformation it leads.
Positioning is the foundation, messaging is how you communicate it, branding is how you package it, and strategic narrative is the broader story tying it all together. I’ll discuss this in greater detail in my next piece—how we put this into action at Gorgias, why we decided to reposition and what we learned along the way.
Takeaways & Tips For SaaS Leaders
If you’re leading a SaaS company, strong positioning isn’t just a marketing gig—it’s a strategic necessity. The best leaders don’t wait for positioning problems to surface in the pipeline, they actively shape how their product is understood in the market.
Start with positioning before messaging.
Messaging can only resonate if it’s anchored in clear positioning. Without that, you’ll end up with clever copy that still doesn’t land.
Don’t confuse branding with positioning.
A bold logo and catchy tagline won’t help if customers don’t understand what you do and why it matters to them. Nail your positioning first—then let branding amplify it.
Use your strategic narrative to align your team.
When everyone understands the shift in the market and your role in it, they become better storytellers—whether they’re in sales, CS or product.
Positioning is the lens through which everything else is built. As a leader, your role is to create that lens—and keep it sharp.
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